


Little Roadblocks

by Leni



Series: The Kindness of Strangers [9]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Background Rumbelle, Gen, background Regal Believer, background Swan Believer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 19:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12489508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: It was irresistible, to see his former student struggle with her temper and not step in to needle her and see how far he could push.





	Little Roadblocks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beastlycheese](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beastlycheese/gifts).



Rumpelstiltskin was aware that the charade wouldn’t last forever.

In the best case scenario, the Savior would have broken the curse within a few weeks and he would have slipped his family into the outside world to start his search for Baelfire before Regina had fought her way out of the resulting chaos and could even think of taking her revenge on them. .

However, Miss Swan, stubborn child that she was, had all but literally dragged her feet through that course of events. In the three months since her arrival in Storybrooke, her grandest achievement had been to be recruited as the Sheriff’s deputy - the promotion that followed had been a joint effort, much as the girl still loathed the thought.

A few invitations for dinner hadn’t changed her opinion enough to trust him, though she at least had taken a liking to Lily and the children. Him, she was happy to ignore unless he made a pointed request to pass the salad.

Rumpelstiltskin wouldn’t mind shouldering Miss Swan’s unfriendly glares, if at least she had made some inroads into opening herself to the idea of magic. Smart as she was, she remained deaf to her son’s words and blind to the slowly unfolding stories that proved Henry right.

As the current state of affairs wasn’t likely to change in the near future, it had left Rumpelstiltskin to exhaust the few strings he’d still been able to pull in a world without magic, dodging Regina’s suspicions while working behind the scenes to throw distractions in her way. The problem was that there were only so many disgruntled half-crazed fathers and enamored genies he could nudge in the right direction.

Soon the game would be over, and he would have to move onto the next stage of his plan.

But for now…

It was irresistible, to see his former student struggle with her temper and not step in to needle her and see how far he could push. That they were in the middle of Main Street and not her palace in the Enchanted Forest made little difference to him.

As long as he was only Mr. Gold to her, he could have his fun - and if he could add a few more roadblocks in Regina’s way, he welcomed the opportunity.

“Good afternoon, madam Mayor,” he greeted her, lifting a corner of his lips when Regina startled. She had been too busy, staring after her son and Miss Swan, to notice his approach. “I can’t help but notice you’re not looking your usual self-assured self. Still having trouble with the arrangements for shared custody?”

Her whole body bristled in rejection at the idea. “There’s no such thing,” she ground out, curling her hands into fists.

Rumpelstiltskin pretended not to notice her mounting rage.

“No paperwork, of course,” he agreed easily, making sure to add a semblance of a sheepish smile. “None like a lawyer to understand the hassle of it. But I assumed there was a verbal agreement by now…?”

Her lips set into that mulish twist that had taken residence a few months into her marriage and never left. “I will never share my son.”

Had they been friends, Rumpelstiltskin might have counseled her on the evils of holding onto a child too hard. But he and Regina were what they were, so he only shifted his glance onto the smiling duo happily chattering their way to the ice cream parlor and gave a soft chuckle. In this world, he didn’t need the imp’s giggles to manifest his amusement. There were a thousand ways to mock and saw at someone’s weakness, and subtleness fit Mr. Gold best. “My mistake,” he said slowly. From the stiffness in Regina’s spine, he knew that she understood he was inwardly laughing at her. “But if I may offer some advice….”

He saw her brace herself against a ‘please’.

He purposely left the word out of his request, not caring to overuse the advantage it held, and just stared in expectation of an answer.

Regina blinked, narrowed her eyes. Finally nodded briskly. “Spit it out, Gold.”

He arched an eyebrow in pretended shock at her hostile tone, but didn’t comment on it. “I understand you have more experience in rearing children than I do, but really, Ms. Mills. Next time Henry is feeling lonely, go and get the boy a puppy.” When Regina looked at him uncomprehendingly, Rumpelstiltskin responded with a patient hum. “Quite common sense, dearie. He’s gone and dragged home his birth mother already - be careful that next time he won’t bring back the other half of the set.”

He left her sputtering, and no doubt dreading that Ms. Swan could indeed contact whatever old paramour had aided in Henry’s conception.

A satisfied smile curved his lips.

It was unlikely that Henry’s father would ever become part of the equation, much as Rumpelstiltskin wished for one more distraction to keep Regina occupied. Had there been a way to track down the man, or any information on him other than the lies Ms. Swan told her child, Rumpelstiltskin would give serious thought to calling him in.

Henry’s father might be an innocent bystander, but Rumpelstiltskin wouldn’t hesitate to offer him up if it meant that Regina’s attention would slide off his own wife and children.

Family, after all, always came first.

 

The End  
29/07/17

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!


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